Brandon Jacobs ←→ Matt Thornton - 美國職棒

最言簡意賅的敘述大概就屬這個：

https://twitter.com/IanCundall/status/355888043552550912

Matt Thornton is a solid return for Brandon Jacobs. Jacobs has some tools
especially raw power, but poor hit tool and LF only profile.

用Jacobs換到Matt Thornton算很不錯，Jacobs有一些tools─尤其是力量─但是打擊能力
不佳，而且只能防守左外野。

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以下引用Sickels和Speier的文章

http://t.co/I0gCA96Gie Sickels

The Chicago White Sox traded veteran pitcher Matt Thornton to the Boston Red
Sox Friday evening, receiving outfield prospect Brandon Jacobs in return.
Here's the scoop on the newest member of the White Sox farm system.

紅襪失去了Brandon Jacobs─Jacobs是怎樣的人物？

Brandon Jacobs, OF: Jacobs was drafted by the Red Sox in the 10th round in
2009, from high school in Lilburn, Georgia. He was committed to football at
Auburn but Boston changed his mind with $750,000, which would change a lot of
minds. He hit .242/.308/.417 in 64 games in the New York-Penn League in 2010,
then broke out (we thought) with a strong '11 season, hitting .303/.376/.505
with 17 homers and 30 steals for Low-A Greenville in the Sally League.

2009年第十輪的高中生，原本要去打美足但是因為$750,000的簽約金改變心意。2010年在
短期A的64場比賽.242/.308/.417，然後在Greenville開竅(當時我們這麼認為)，打出優
質成績─.303/.376/.505、17轟、30盜。

Jacobs looked like one of the best prospects in the system heading into 2012,
but his season was rather disappointing: .252/.322/.410 with 13 homers, 39
walks, and 128 strikeouts in 437 at-bats. 2013 hasn't been much different:
.244/.334/.440 with 11 homers, 33 walks, and 88 strikeouts in 81 games, 291
at-bats for Salem, followed by a 2-for-6 showing in two games after a
promotion to Double-A Portland.

2012年之前，Jacobs儼然是紅襪農場中的頂級新秀之一，但是結果卻令人失望：437 AB
.252/.322/.410、13 HR、39 BB、128 K，2013年也沒差到哪去，在Salem的81場比賽
(291 AB).244/.334/.440、11 HR、33 BB、88 SO，在AA的短暫時光2-6。

A right-handed hitter and thrower, Jacobs is listed at 6-1, 225, born
December 8, 1990. He's a fine athlete with plenty of tools, including above
average speed and raw power. He has spent most of his career in left field
with adequate defensive results; he can play center or right field in a
pinch, but his weakish arm fits best in left. This puts more pressure on his
bat.

1990年出生、6'1"、225磅、右投右打的Jacobs是個不錯的運動員，擁有不少tools，主要
是高於平均的跑步速度和未琢磨的力量。他生涯中幾乎都站左外野，防守表現還可以，中
右外野則是能在更換防守陣容時去守一下─因為他的傳球能力不佳，所以最佳位置就是左
外野。

所以壓力就轉到了他的打擊表現上。

Alas, aside from the Greenville run, Jacobs has yet to live up to his full
physical potential. He's had significant problems making contact against
High-A pitching, limiting his batting average and on-base percentage. He'll
make an effort to work counts and will draw some walks, but his strikeout
rate remains stubbornly higher than one per game and he seems to have trouble
reading breaking pitches. Obviously this will be an even bigger problem at
higher levels, but at age 22, Jacobs still has time to improve.

除了Greenville的那段時期之外，他的成績並沒有完全顯現出他的體能潛力。他面對A+球
種時無法好好的contact，所以打擊率和上壘率都不好看。雖然他努力玩球數、選保送，
但是他的三振率高的嚇人(遠超過每場1K)，Jacobs似乎在變化球種辨識上有問題─這個缺
點在高階聯盟會成為更大的問題(不過Jacobs只有22歲，還有時間修正)。

The White Sox have a liking for toolsy outfielders, and he certainly fits
that mold. Jacobs is a lottery ticket, but Thornton is a 36-year-old reliever
with slipping skills. Picking up a Grade C prospect with enough physical
potential to improve is a good move for Chicago. From Boston's point of view,
getting some bullpen help now is more important than keeping a stagnating
Grade C/C+ prospect who may, or may not, help two or three years in the
future. The deal makes sense for both teams.

白襪想要toolsy的外野手─Jacobs就是。Jacobs就是個樂透彩，Thornton是個36歲、衰退
中的牛棚投手。對白襪來說撿一個有體能潛力的C級新秀是步很棒的棋；而就紅襪的視角
來看，現在找人救火遠比留住一個卡關、兩三年後不知道會不會上來貢獻的C/C+新秀來的
重要多了。

因此就兩邊來看都很合理。

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ZJTI03xoJ5M 影片

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http://t.co/9nmdHlHmdU Alex Speier (WEEI) 節錄一部分

Chicago had long been interested in Jacobs, introducing his name into talks
with the Red Sox about potential deals involving starting pitchers (Gavin
Floyd, John Danks) during the 2011-12 offseason — and for obvious reasons.

白襪對Jacobs垂涎很久了，以前在Gavin Floyd、John Danks的交易案的討論中都會出現
。原因很簡單：

Jacobs possesses a tremendous combination of speed and power that is rarely
seen.

稀有的腿砲組合。

Jacobs, in short, has all the talent in the world — one Sox official noted
this spring that, were one to line up Jacobs next to Jackie Bradley Jr., the
tools comparison would tilt drastically towards Jacobs — but given the fact
that his gifts haven’t translated to performance except in one spectacular
year (2011 in Single-A Greenville), he represents a lottery ticket. There is
jackpot potential, but the likelihood of hitting that number is in
considerable question based on his career trajectory to date.

有球團人士在春天拿Jacobs和JBJ做比較，Jacobs的tool幾乎比JBJ好，但是除了
Greenville時期之外，Jacobs無法成功的把他的天賦轉化為表現。

Jacobs是張樂透彩，中獎就賺翻，不過就過往歷史來看，能不能打出來是值得質疑的。

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https://twitter.com/alexspeier/status/355886153695637506

除非他又在波特蘭爆走，不然不可能加進40人名單保護(規則五選秀)。

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＊Athletic frame.
＊High baseball IQ. Xander
＊Smooth, fluid swing. Bogaerts
＊Elite batspeed. #01
＊Strong and explosive hands.
＊Above-average-to-better power ceiling, potential 30 home run bat.

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